OPPONENTS of a mobile phone mast proposed for one of the most beautiful parts of Cheshire are urging like-minded people to gather at a public meeting tomorrow morning.

Eddisbury MP Stephen O'Brien is backing residents of Beeston and Tiverton at the meeting in Tiverton Village Hall at 10am.

Campaigners fear a 15 metre high Orange mast in the shadow of Beeston Castle would obscure the view.

Cyril Aberdein, of Beeston Hall Mews, said: 'We would obviously like as many people as possible to come to the meeting as a show of support.

'It will be a tough fight because there is a lot of money sloshing about from the phone companies and Government is putting pressure on local authorities to allow sites.'

Cllr Roger Cheshire, a member of Tiverton Parish Council, is furious neither the council or residents have been informed of the plan.

A letter of objection has been sent to Chester City Council, the planning authority, with a request that the application be resubmitted, or that the consultation period be extended.

He said: 'If Tiverton Council had received a copy of the application or been informed we would have had a meeting about it and been able to discuss what our concerns were.'

Orange says a 20 metre high oak tree will shield the mast from view.

Julie Markman of Beeston Hall, who owns the land on which the tree is situated, said: 'We have erected an orange flag on top of the tree that is supposed to screen the tower, so that everyone can see where it will be and how it will completely ruin the view and the setting.'

Suzanne Edwards, of Beeston Hall Mews, urged objectors to email Chester City Council. She is the owner of Spider the Jack Russell who has become the mascot of campaigners dubbed the 'Beeston Castle Crusaders'.

George Bramall, 75, of Burwardsley, a Chester district committee member of the Council for the Protection of Rural England, said: 'From Tiverton and that side of the valley you would just see the top of it.

'You would see it from the Beeston area and from the public footpath and from the castle and from all that wide area ­ bearing in mind it's an area of Special County Value.'